Be My Valentine

Valentine’s Day is usually recognized as a romantic holiday; it’s a relational holiday, seeming to require validation from another to be complete. But what if Valentine’s Day and Lent this year weren’t just about being loved by another — what if the greatest gift of all was realizing you loved yourself?

Please join us in celebrating a new tradition, Be My Valentine, in which you ask yourself this of yourself and not just another. Start on Valentine’s Day…then keep going! Make time each day to do at least one kind thing for yourself and celebrate it, because you deserve your own love.

Here are some no-cost ideas to get you started:

Have your coffee “to stay” instead of “to go”Take a bubble bath — they aren’t just for kidsGo for a walk and greet everyone you pass with a smileTake an extra 30 seconds to give yourself a head rub in the showerLook up yoga videos on YouTube and take a few minutes to follow alongCall a relative and ask for a family recipe you loved as a kid…then make it!Add a mile to your run and use the time to think about the things in your life that bring you joySkype someone you love — a family member or friend is great — and have dinner with them long distanceWrite yourself a letter listing some of the things that make you special and open it on Valentine’s Day next yearHave a date with your pet — give them extra attention, snuggle together on the sofa, or make chicken for dinner for yourself and cut a little bit off to share

We’d love to hear how you decided to love yourself this weekend. Tag us in your posts on social media and use the hashtag #BeMyValentine to share your ideas with each other and with us!